


Reincarnate

by Seajellybaby



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Gay Romance, Halloween, Love, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26527879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seajellybaby/pseuds/Seajellybaby
Summary: Some loves become lost in time. Some loves are broken and separated by centuries. (Written for Halloween 2011)
Relationships: Noah Mayer/Luke Snyder
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

Luke Snyder was 100% sure of it...

Senior year of high school sucked.

People who didn't know him might think this simply the typical response of a seventeen year old schoolboy; impatient to sample the delights of adulthood and escape the confines of rules and regulations; bored with math, history and physics. But Luke enjoyed the work. He loved history, excelled at literary studies, and was okay at math. Luke loved to learn.

Only these days learning wasn't the problem, loneliness and rejection were. Ever since he'd come out to his best friend, Kevin, he'd quickly gone from being 'most popular jock' to the 'butt of all jokes'. Some friends they all turned out to be!

He was still picking the fruit and vegetable peels from Kevin's latest prank off his jacket, when Maddie hooked her arm around his and squeezed. "Come on, Luke! Who cares what they think? Let's forget those assholes and grab us a couple of shakes over at Al's."

They reached the main gabled gates that marked the start of Old Towne and Luke sighed, looking dejectedly at the ground rather than at the petite girl latched onto his arm. Thank God for Maddie! She'd been his life preserver over the past month. Branded a social outcast herself, after her crazed sister went on a murder spree, the two of them naturally gravitated together. Now they shared everything; their lunches, their woes, their homework, and walks home after school via Al's, sharing the occasional strawberry milkshake.

But this latest bout of humiliation hit Luke deeper than he was ready to admit, even to Maddie. He thought he was coping well with holding his head high; ignoring the laughs and jeers from his peers. That was until the bucket of peels, stolen from the school cafeteria, landed on its intended target; a.k.a. Luke Snyder.

"They'll get bored of it sooner or later, sweetheart." His mother kept telling him.

And he wanted to believe that. But to look up... banana peel sliding down his face... and see his ex-friend holding the upturned bucket out the second floor window; laughing like Luke's feelings weren't worth anything; that was the worst kind of betrayal. That was what really hurt.

It was more important to Kevin that the kids at school still saw him as the jock; knew he wouldn't ever knowingly associate with a gay-boy; than worry about Luke, a friend he'd known since diapers. Kevin was like a brother to him.

 _Had_ been like a brother to him. Past tense.

Luke sighed loudly again. "Mads, you know I love you right?" He shuffled his right foot morosely back-and-forth along the ground.

"Why do I feel a 'but' coming on?" she responded.

Taking a deep breath he lifted his head slowly, "But… I really just wanna go straight home today, okay?"

She smiled encouragingly at him, "Okay. I understand. Just remember I'm here for you any time you need. Call me later."

Luke drew her into a friendly hug. "Thanks. You really are the best."

She waved as she left him by the gate. He watched her go until she disappeared down the side road that would lead her home. Shoulders slumped he adjusted his rucksack, shuffling his feet as he walked. Barely aware of his surroundings, he took the shortcut through Old Towne, stopping to view his reflection in the window of Java, the local coffee house. He ran fingers through unruly hair, trying to look something near presentable; dropped his gaze to coax his duffle coat button back into place.

"I'll be at the bridge."

Luke blinked; the whispered voice sent a shiver down his spine; made the hair on the nape of his neck stand to attention. His head jerked up in surprise; eyes locking instantly with sad blue, as he caught the reflection in the glass of a taller boy standing behind him. The dark-haired boy was strikingly handsome but oddly dressed. He looked like a character from a Charles Dickens Novel; the son of a wealthy banker or merchant.

"I'm sorry, what?" Luke asked; finding his voice; suddenly sweating nervously. He swallowed as he turned to address the stranger. But, except for a few girls window shopping on the other side of the square, he was alone. "Hello?"

Quickly he paced to the center of the square; scanned a full 180 degrees. The tall boy was gone.

"If he was ever here at all!" Luke scolded himself. "Are you really _that_ desperate you're making them up now, Snyder?"

But that didn't explain why Luke's heart pounded in his chest. He closed his eyes tightly, breathing deeply to steady himself. His hands were actually shaking. Something in that other boy's gaze made Luke feel…

"What are you _doing_ here?"

Luke jumped; whipped around at the admonishment. But it wasn't directed at him.

The urgent voice belonged to the same young man. He sat with his back to Luke on a wooden bench in the middle of the square, while another boy tentatively took a seat beside him.

"I..." the other boy began.

"My father's meeting me here! I told you we _can_ _'_ _t_ see each other anymore!" The boy frantically scanned their surroundings.

"Noël I…"

"Please! You're making this so much harder…"

As Luke watched the scene unfold, he was surprised by the sudden crack in his heart at the pain in this boy Noël's voice. It was clear to Luke that what Noël said and how he felt were in direct conflict. What wasn't clear, was why Luke felt so drawn to him; protective of him…

The second boy removed his flat cap to free a mop of familiar looking blonde curls. Luke felt his stomach twist at the sight of them.

_No…_

_It can't be…_

"I'm leaving." The blonde softly interrupted as way of explanation, nervously bending his cap in his hands. "I… I handed in my resignation, and left your father's employment today. I'm catching the next stagecoach to Chicago in two hours time. It leaves from Mill Hill Bridge."

_Stagecoach?_

_What the hell?_

The blonde's stark statement cut Noël off mid-sentence. The two boys froze in place, eyes only for each other. A stand-off…

Noël was first to drop his gaze. "I see."

"Please understand. I can't stay… see you every day and not touch…" The blonde reached out; changed his mind and drew has arms around himself. His face was obscured in shadow, but that simple gesture painted a clear picture of what the boy was feeling.

"What about the horses?" It was a clear attempt to hold onto him. Keep him near. "You love them."

"Yes. But I…"

"Don't go." Noël shook his head from side to side.

"What do you expect me to do then?" Desperation laced his voice. "Stay? Prepare the horses? Accompany you on rides and pretend that my hearts not bursting open?"

"Luca…"

Luke frowned at the name so close to his own. So much about this other body reminded Luke of himself. Besides his hair, the boy spoke like him; used similar mannerisms.

"Watch you marry the girl of your father's dreams?" Luka continued, totally unaware of Luke's presence.

"No…"

"No?" Luca asked in a tone laced with mockery.

"I don't know…" It was a dejected whisper that spoke to Luke's heart in a way he couldn't fathom. He should not have been listening in to a private conversation between two strangers, and yet somehow Luke felt he belonged there; like he was a part of this too. At least that's what his sudden and elevated emotions were telling him. Try as he might, Luke could not tear himself away. His feet were firmly planted, and he would see this scene through to the end.

He watched Luca flop dejectedly back against the arm of the bench; nodding his head in frustration as well as reluctant acceptance. "You don't know."

"I know we're friends." Noël suggested hopefully.

"Friends?" His voice was heavy in a sudden anger. "Noël! We are _so_ _much_ _more_ than friends!"

"Please, Luca…" Noël begged again but Luca cut him off.

"Were we friends when you kissed me? Were we mere friends when you made love to me in the barn?"

Noël shot up from bench. He turned, and for the first time Luke could see the terror in his eyes as the lamplight illuminated his face. He was by far the most beautiful thing Luke had ever laid eyes on. "Quiet! Are you crazy? You _know_ what would happen if somebody heard you? If my father…"

Luca's head dropped sadly forward. "So it meant nothing to you then?"

Noël's breath shuddered. Luke watched his striking blue eyes fill with unshed tears. He sat heavily back down beside Luca, stretched his arms forward until they rested inches from touching his companion. His voice was far softer, serious, as he said, "You _know_ that it did."

"If you _really_ loved me, you'd find a way…"

"Luca, it's too great a risk. If my father finds out about this, he'll kill you. He'll kill you in an instant and I _couldn_ _'_ _t_ …" his voice cracked, "I _won_ _'_ _t_ live with that!"

Luca nodded and stood. "Then you've made your choice."

He turned to face Noël, and as he did Luke sucked in breath, his lungs burning in shock.

_It's me! That's me!_

Mind racing, he didn't have time to process the thought, because Luca said, "I just came to say goodbye."

"Luca wait!" Noël stood too.

"Your father's coming."

Luke followed the boy's line of sight; saw in the distance two older men approaching. One was tall like Noël with sandy hair, and Luke felt sure this was his father since the other man was elderly. They were deeply engrossed in conversation, and had yet to notice the two broken young men in the center of the square. Like the two boys, they were dressed in period clothing.

Luca moved discreetly to the window of Java; disguising his curls inside his cap. He stood staring sadly at his reflection in the glass, in the same way Luke had done only moments before.

Noël sent a panicked glance backward over his shoulder, gauging how much time he had before his father arrived. Taking the risk, he rushed to stand behind Luca. Their gazes locked in the reflection with intensity so deep, it forced Luke back a step.

"I'll be there... Later," Noël said simply, "I'll be at the bridge."

Luca continued to stare into Noël's eyes until almost imperceptivity, he nodded.

Luke stood positively frozen in place. Loss... a great disabling sense of loss... twisted his insides. He was so wrapped up in it, he didn't notice the loud group of school kids until they were jostling into him; bumping him to get past. 

"Get out of the way! You're blocking the path idiot!" The group passed by him laughing, but Luke barely noticed them. His eyes searched frantically for Luca and Noël.

But like a wisp of smoke, they were gone.

The group's voices faded as they disappeared around a corner, most likely heading for Al's. Luke was once again alone in the silent square. He stood there breathing heavily; unable to move.

_What the hell was that?_

He shivered as a few drops of cold rain fell, tricked down his neck. Lightning clapped, warning mortals below to run and seek shelter, but Luke stood firm.

"I'll be at the bridge." That voice reached down deep inside of Luke; it called to him in a way he had no hope of understanding. Before long he found himself running up the main road leading out of Oakdale; jeans growing tight as they clogged with water and clung to his skin. He splashed mindlessly through puddles; feet growing soggy in wet trainers; powering forward to reach a destination only his sub-conscious seemed to know the directions to.


	2. Chapter 2

It was after jumping over the second sty into another mist covered field, that Noah began to question his better judgment. What was he doing traipsing across some stranger's property, just so that he could follow this other boy?

New to Oakdale and beginning his first year of study at the local university, getting arrested for trespassing probably wasn't the best way to ingratiate himself with the locals. But from the moment he saw the strange apparition, dressed entirely in period clothing, he was intrigued.

_Who is he?_

_Where's he going?_

And the pull... almost like a need under his skin... to follow this person, was eerily strong. 

The sensible part of Noah; the part that always did the right thing; always followed the rules; won out for a moment. He stopped walking; couldn't decide whether to continue or turn back. His natural senses screamed at him to return to his dorm room; forget the whole thing. But as he hesitated, so did the boy in the distance. Noah cocked his head, biting his lower lip. The other dark-haired boy mirrored Noah's movements exactly. Noah felt an overwhelming sense of expectation; and this boy was somehow the epicenter of that.

Testing this theory, Noah took two steps forward. Sure enough, the other boy stepped forward also; stopping whenever Noah stopped.

Resolving to uncover this mystery; understand the reasons for the race in his heart; the strange chill down the back of his neck; Noah continued to follow the figure over two further wooden fences, down a quiet farm road, and over a bubbling brook.

Eventually, looming ahead from out of the mist, Noah caught sight of a picture-perfect fire engine red barn; complete with a bottle green roof and a rooster shaped weather vane, that squeaked as is swung wildly in the strengthening wind.

A storm was fast brewing.

Noah watched the boy open the barn door and vanish inside. If Noah chose to follow now, he really _would_ be trespassing.

"Breaking and entering? Just great Mayer!" he chastised himself. "Dad will have your butt on a plane home in no time if you get yourself arrested!"

The thought of returning back to his father, to that lonely life on the army base, was almost enough to convince Noah to turn back, but instead he took a deep breath. He'd already come this far. And anyway, he _had_ to know. He just _had_ to.

Squaring his shoulders, he pushed the barn door open; stepped inside. It was pitch black. Noah expected to feel afraid, but instead he felt a warmth; a strange and familiar comfort; a belonging; as though he knew this place; like he'd been there before; like he was home.

_But that's crazy, right?_

He could both smell and hear the horses snorting; shuffling in their stalls, excited by his presence.

Noah allowed himself the time it took to simply relax some; steady his breath. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the blackness; heart pounding with expectation and excitement; but for what he didn't know.

In fact the stirring emotion he felt was so strong, he had to briefly squeeze his eyes shut. He swayed slightly on his feet; almost faint with it.

A horse neighed nearby making him jump; eyes flying open. Strangely and suddenly, the barn was no longer so dark. Up in the distance, Noah made out a faint candlelight flickering somewhere in the rafters.

"I wasn't sure you would come…"

Noah's heart skipped a beat. He shivered. The voice was as smooth as golden honey; ran like a light touch over Noah's skin, cocooning him. Goosebumps rose on his arms as he moved further into the barn, seeking out the speaker; mesmerized... hypnotized...

The light came from a loft area accessed via a steep wooden ladder. He reached the top in no time, sat heavily back on the edge as shock enveloped him. The dark-haired boy he'd followed all the way from the outskirts of the University grounds, stood illuminated by the dozen lit candles strewn around the space.

_That's me! That's me only… only not…_

A strong wind blew the loft window open with a bang; a flash of lightning decorated the darkening sky. Hallowed in that quick ethereal light, a second boy stood close by. Noah's brain went completely blank, emptied of all thoughts except how beautiful he was. This boy had lengthy golden hair like sunflowers. His russet eyes were wide and earnest; needy almost. He was dressed differently; same era as the taller boy, but less formal. His clothing spoke of the outdoors; of hard manual labor.

Tentatively... shyly... he spoke again, "I didn't know if you'd…"

Noah remained silent, watching the scene unfold; glued to it.

The boy resembling Noah did not speak. Instead he closed the gap between them, right hand disappearing smoothly into silky blonde; lips making quick work of silencing the other boy mid-sentence.

The angel moaned into the kiss... sighing... breathing loudly... chest heaving. When they reluctantly broke for air the taller boy rested their foreheads together. They panted vocally.

"Noël?" The blonde begged, sucking seductively at his lower lip. "Please… I need you…"

Noah heard Noël's breath shudder; watched as he nodded against the blonde's forehead; pushed him desperately back into the wooden barn wall. His lips connected hungrily to the smooth and willingly exposed neck; nibbling gently on the other boy's ear. The blonde inhaled sharply; hand reaching up to close over Noël's chest.

"Luka…" Noël grunted; desire evident in the way his hands explored the blonde's shape over the clothes he wore; shoulders rising up like an eagle as he grew more and more frustrated; ripping at miles of material; untying; unbuckling, unbuttoning…

An intimate intensity existed between these two young men; an all encompassing love; almost too immense for the loft space to contain.

_I shouldn't be here! I shouldn't be watching like some peeping Tom! What the hell's the matter with me?_

But Noah knew he couldn't leave. He knew gut-deep he was witnessing this for a reason. He'd been invited by some higher power he couldn't ever hope to explain.

_I love this boy Luca._

That thought slammed him so hard he felt winded. He began to panic, stretching his arms out toward the two boys lying half naked on a bed of straw; shadows dancing across their skin. Noël rolled over Luka, until they where wrapped within a knotted embrace.

Noah felt dizzy; unsteady. He laid his head down on the wooden floor; watched from that distance. Eyes took in the soft kisses, the gentle touches; the wave like motion as the bodies joined; the arch of backs, the cries of ecstasy.

This pure, innocent and passionate love was coated in deep sadness somehow. A feeling of loss; heartache beyond measure; gripped Noah internally. Tears tickled down his cheek, surprising him. He didn't usually cry. He pressed his eyelids closed to stem the flow; clear his vision; when he opened them the scene was gone. The barn was dark once more; he was alone.

"What's happening to me?" Noah was no stranger to solitude. As an army child, following his father's career from base to base, he'd grown used to that. But this? This was a whole new level of loneliness. This was the realization that a huge part of him was missing; perhaps had always been missing.

A forlorn sob escaped his lips; it was soft but echoed throughout the empty space. He lay immobile until Luka's aching voice fluttered past his ear, tickling as though born on the wind, "Meet me at the bridge."

There was only one bridge that Noah knew of. It traversed high above the main river; acted as a gateway into town. Without further thought he descended the ladder, left the barn; began his long and urgent run through the pouring rain; unsure of what he would discover when he reached his intended destination, just knowing that he _had_ to get there.


	3. Chapter 3

Luke _felt_ them instantly. His lungs burned as he slowed from a jog to a walk; relieved at finding them. 

When he finally caught sight of them, they stood engulfed in each other's arms like a marble statue; right in the center of the bridge. Their faces were buried within hair; shoulders shuddering. Noël cupped the back of Luka's head in one hand; the sound of their sobs growing louder the closer Luke dared move.

Luke swallowed painfully; noting for the first time, that although the rain pelted down all around him in curtains; dripping from his cheeks and drenching his clothes; both Noël and Luka remained dry; seemingly bathed in moonlight.

"There must be a way we can-" a heartbroken Noël pleaded, but Luka shook his head.

"It's better this way." Luca pulled back to stroke a hand down the taller boy's tearstained face. "It will get easier…"

"How do you know?"

Unable to bare the sadness in Noël's eyes, Luka's forehead dropped to Noël's chest instead, where he became fascinated by an ornate brass button. "I don't. I guess I'm just hoping it…"

Noël hooked a finger under Luka's chin, bringing the sad brown eyes back upward. "Let me kiss you before the coach get's here?"

Luka nodded. Noël pressed their lips together. It was a kiss that quickly deepened with frantic passion. They became lost in their own world; so lost they failed to notice the older man at the end of the bridge raise a rifle to his shoulder; aim for them.

"No!" Luke warned. "Look out!" But there was no reaction at all to the sound of his voice.

The gunshot however, was deafening. Luke dropped wide-eyed to his knees. Both boys jerked; clung to each other in fright.

At first Luke felt relief; thinking the shooter must have missed. It seemed ages that Luka and Noël stood there; arms still embracing each other. But this hope quickly dissolved as Luka's knees wobbled; gave out; crumbled under him; drops of blood pooling quickly at their feet.

" _Luka_!" Noël screamed, realization setting in. Frantically he tried to pull the other boy to his feet; willing him to be okay. "No-no-no…"

Their eyes locked, and eventually Noël had to concede the fight. He fell with Luka, cradling him.

"Luka?" this time it was a softly spoken question, head shaking from side-to-side; unable to accept.

Crying and resigned, Luka nodded; reached cold fingers to Noël's chin; rasped as he breathed through punctured lungs.

"No..." Tears dropped off the end of Noël's chin; he kissed the blonde's temple.

The other boy tried to speak.

"What?" Noël asked him softly, hand stroking through Luka's hair. "I'm here. What is it?"

"Meet…" Luka coughed, a string of blood dribbled down his cheek."

Noël sobbed. "It's going be okay. I love you."

"Meet… me…" Luka swallowed.

"What?" Noël leaned his ear closer to Luka's lips.

"Meet me… at the… bridge."

Luke watched the life ebb from the boy's face; his arm drop heavily to the ground. One moment his features were animated with shock and pain, fear and love; the next his eyes were stark blank emptiness; staring at nothing.

"Please… please… please…" A soul-crunching, gut-wrenching cry emanated from Noël. He wept uncontrollably; pulled the drooping body up to sitting against his chest; held him close, kissing his hair and temple.

Luke's heart broke for him, he ached to comfort Noël; felt such intense level of grief and loss it stifled him. He wanted nothing more than to take Noël's pain from him, but knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that only a reunion ever could.

And Luka was gone.

"Noël!"

Whimpering, Noël rocked Luka's body back-and-forth, oblivious to everything, including the cold stare and authoritative voice of his father; still standing with the rifle under his arm.

"Noël, you _will_ look at me, son!"

With a loud sniff Noël lifted his eyes over the top of Luka's head; glared fire at this father. There were no more tears now, only a dead calm that filled Luke with dread.

Noël took one final glance at the boy in his arms. "I'll come," he whispered. "I promise. If it takes me an eternity, I _will_ find you!"

He ran his thumb across Luka's lips; gently closed the dead boy's eyes; kissed him softly one more time. Reverently he laid the body down on the ground, taking time to rest Luka's arms; stood shakily.

"Time to go, Noël!" his father demanded.

Noël, expression bland and unreadable, rose to meet his father. Luke gasped. The light that had previously burned in Noël's blue eyes was gone. They were as blank and cold as those of Luka. In the fraction of a second it took Luke to recognize that fact, Noël had traversed the bridge railing, and jumped to the dark oblivion below.

"No!" both Luke and Noël's father screamed, running for the side of the bridge; staring down into the darkness. But there was no sign of Noël, just the continual flush of fast running river under their feet.

Shocked, Luke looked away. Everything shifted, changed. It was all at once dark, and he was once more alone.

"Oh my God!" He bent over, crippled by the sick pain in his stomach; tears flowing freely.

He straightened; gasped for air, stared up into the rain; questioning the heavens.

"Why?" he asked. "What am I supposed to do?"

A lightening flash was his answer. As the bolt flickered and faded, he saw the faintest outline of a person standing stock-still at the other end of the bridge.

Luke swallowed the drops of water pooling between his lips; squinted through the darkness.

"Hello?" he shouted over the rain.

There was no reply, but a second flash of lightning left no doubt to the other figure's presence. The tall outline of a young man was clear to see. As Luke recognized the stature he began to shiver.

_That's impossible!_

All of this was impossible!

They stood still, neither sure what to do. Finally they both made a decision, and legs began to gravitate forward. The closer they came, the more they could see of one another, and the wider their eyes opened in surprise. Eventually they were a mere arms-length apart.

They scanned each other, taking in the hair, the skin, the eyes, the lips.

"It's y-you." Luke stuttered through the rain.

The other boy's arm rose, hand inches from touching.

"It's… it's you." He replied.

Luke bit his lower lip, unsure how to proceed; anxious he might be dreaming, and deathly afraid the young man before him could vanish at any second.

"They brought me here." The boy explained.

"Me too." Luke concurred.

Their eyes locked; heartbeats elevated. Luke found it suddenly difficult to process thought.

The other boy cocked his head. "I think we were…"

"Yes." Luke agreed, understanding for definite. "Yes we were."

The boy hesitated before asking, "What's your name?"

"Luke."

The other boy smiled then. It was the shyest smile Luke had ever seen. It made the boy's chin curl up; his forehead furrow slightly; his eyes sparkle cobalt blue. If it were possible, that smile made Luke's heart race even faster.

"Nice to meet you… Luke." He rolled the name on his tongue, trying it out. "I'm Noah."

Luke released a tiny surprised laugh at the name, before finding himself drowning in blue once more.

"The rain's stopped," the boy said. 

Luke didn't know when it happened, but at some point the clouds parted, leaving them bathed in a spot of moonlight. "Yes it has."

"Can I…" The boy's hand reached out for him.

Luke nodded; lips curing up, his own hand meeting Noah's halfway.

"Woah!" Noah exclaimed, drawing in a sharp breath as they touched; palm to palm.

"Did you feel that?" Luke asked amazed.

Noah laughed and nodded, interlacing their fingers. "This is just… It's just…" He looked up from their hands. "I didn't want to come to Oakdale U."

"What?" asked Luke; confused by the sudden change in topic.

"I wanted to go to North Western. I've always wanted to go there, since I can remember."

"But… you came… to Oakdale?"

Noah burst out into a fit of laughter, a sound so beautiful Luke forgot to breathe. Noah took Luke's other hand in his; laughed even louder as stronger sensation enveloped them.

"I don't under-" Luke began after inhaling a gulp of much needed oxygen.

"Don't you get it?" Noah asked.

Luke frowned and shook his head.

" _Noël_ brought me here! Noël wanted to come! _He_ made the decision."

Luke pondered this for a moment, before realizing Noah was right. "Luca knew he'd come."

Noah nodded.

"I've felt it all this year…" Luke told him, "... this change in me. This feeling like I'm _waiting_ for something. But all this time it wasn't something… it was…"

"…someone." Noah finished.

"Yeah." Luke smiled, feeling all at once shrouded in happiness; contentment.

Noah's palm pressed into Luke's cheek; thumb clearing away old tear-tracks. Luke leaned into the touch; warm and soft. "They've waited a long time for this."

"Yes." Luke agreed in almost a whisper. "A very long time."

A cold wind blew in their faces. They were wet through; teeth chattered, but everything was right in the world. Suddenly, compulsively, Luke turned Noah's arm; imprinted a kiss on his inner wrist. Noah shivered with emotion; his eyes lifted from their joined hands to the red fullness of Luke's lips. Luke blushed under the intensity of his gaze; all at once found himself pulled up in Noah's arms. He'd never been engulfed in so much energy, never been so mindless about another person. Noah had the most incredible effect on him, as well as the most kissable looking lips Luke could ever have imagined on a guy. They breathed in the moisture of the rain and the fragrance of each other. Luke continued to stare up at those firm chiseled lips; an undeniable hunger surging through him. He wanted to taste them, nibble them; tease them.

Noah tilted Luke slightly, supporting him with a hand in the small of his back. Luke sensed the exact moment when Noah would kiss him, he closed his eyes in anticipation of his first ever kiss. Noah's lips ignited fires deep in his belly, shooting sparks through every nerve ending; turning his knees to jelly. If not for the strong arms encircling his waist, or the way his hands latched around Noah's neck; he'd have fallen to the ground.

He was Noah's; always had been; totally and utterly. In fact, if Noah wanted to take him there, in the middle of the Mill Hill Bridge, Luke would be powerless to refuse. He strained against Noah, needing him with an all consuming ferocity, longing to stay together like this forever. The strength of a thousand ancient feelings frightened him, yet at the same time he would rather have died than ever break free of them.

"Don't be afraid." Noah gasped; sensing Luke's fear through wet clothing.

Unable to utter a word, Luke merely nodded. He wanted more; moved in for another kiss, almost protested out loud as Noah pulled away.

"Let's go somewhere dry…" Noah's gaze smoldered into his. He broke apart from Luke, but at the same time captured his hand; not wanting to lose even one ounce of contact.

Luke let Noah lead him. He didn't need to ask where they were headed. He already knew. Just as he already knew he was in love, and probably always had been since the very day he was born. 

-end-


End file.
